the adventures of pinocchio-第14章

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Not　knowing　what　to　call　him；　the　Marionette　said　to　him：

〃Hey　there；　Mr。　Fish；　may　I　have　a　word　with　you？〃

〃Even　two；　if　you　want；〃　answered　the　fish；　who　happened　to　be　a　very　polite　Dolphin。

〃Will　you　please　tell　me　if；　on　this　island；　there　are　places　where　one　may　eat　without　necessarily　being　eaten？〃

〃Surely；　there　are；〃　answered　the　Dolphin。　　〃In　fact　you'll　find　one　not　far　from　this　spot。〃

〃And　how　shall　I　get　there？〃

〃Take　that　path　on　your　left　and　follow　your　nose。　　You　can't　go　wrong。〃

〃Tell　me　another　thing。　　You　who　travel　day　and　night　through　the　sea；　did　you　not　perhaps　meet　a　little　boat　with　my　father　in　it？〃

〃And　who　is　you　father？〃

〃He　is　the　best　father　in　the　world；　even　as　I　am　the　worst　son　that　can　be　found。〃

〃In　the　storm　of　last　night；〃　answered　the　Dolphin；　〃the　little　boat　must　have　been　swamped。〃

〃And　my　father？〃

〃By　this　time；　he　must　have　been　swallowed　by　the　Terrible　Shark；　which；　for　the　last　few　days；　has　been　bringing　terror　to　these　waters。〃

〃Is　this　Shark　very　big？〃　asked　Pinocchio；　who　was　beginning　to　tremble　with　fright。

〃Is　he　big？〃　replied　the　Dolphin。　　〃Just　to　give　you　an　idea　of　his　size；　let　me　tell　you　that　he　is　larger　than　a　five　story　building　and　that　he　has　a　mouth　so　big　and　so　deep；　that　a　whole　train　and　engine　could　easily　get　into　it。〃

〃Mother　mine！〃　cried　the　Marionette；　scared　to　death；　and　dressing　himself　as　fast　as　he　could；　he　turned　to　the　Dolphin　and　said：

〃Farewell；　Mr。　Fish。　　Pardon　the　bother；　and　many　thanks　for　your　kindness。〃

This　said；　he　took　the　path　at　so　swift　a　gait　that　he　seemed　to　fly；　and　at　every　small　sound　he　heard；　he　turned　in　fear　to　see　whether　the　Terrible　Shark；　five　stories　high　and　with　a　train　in　his　mouth；　was　following　him。

After　walking　a　half　hour；　he　came　to　a　small　country　called　the　Land　of　the　Busy　Bees。　　The　streets　were　filled　with　people　running　to　and　fro　about　their　tasks。　　Everyone　worked；　everyone　had　something　to　do。　　Even　if　one　were　to　search　with　a　lantern；　not　one　idle　man　or　one　tramp　could　have　been　found。

〃I　understand；〃　said　Pinocchio　at　once　wearily；　〃this　is　no　place　for　me！　　I　was　not　born　for　work。〃

But　in　the　meantime；　he　began　to　feel　hungry；　for　it　was　twenty…four　hours　since　he　had　eaten。

What　was　to　be　done？

There　were　only　two　means　left　to　him　in　order　to　get　a　bite　to　eat。　　He　had　either　to　work　or　to　beg。

He　was　ashamed　to　beg；　because　his　father　had　always　preached　to　him　that　begging　should　be　done　only　by　the　sick　or　the　old。　　He　had　said　that　the　real　poor　in　this　world；　deserving　of　our　pity　and　help；　were　only　those　who；　either　through　age　or　sickness；　had　lost　the　means　of　earning　their　bread　with　their　own　hands。　　All　others　should　work；　and　if　they　didn't；　and　went　hungry；　so　much　the　worse　for　them。

Just　then　a　man　passed　by；　worn　out　and　wet　with　perspiration；　pulling；　with　difficulty；　two　heavy　carts　filled　with　coal。

Pinocchio　looked　at　him　and；　judging　him　by　his　looks　to　be　a　kind　man；　said　to　him　with　eyes　downcast　in　shame：

〃Will　you　be　so　good　as　to　give　me　a　penny；　for　I　am　faint　with　hunger？〃

〃Not　only　one　penny；〃　answered　the　Coal　Man。　　〃I'll　give　you　four　if　you　will　help　me　pull　these　two　wagons。〃

〃I　am　surprised！〃　answered　the　Marionette；　very　much　offended。　〃I　wish　you　to　know　that　I　never　have　been　a　donkey；　nor　have　I　ever　pulled　a　wagon。〃

〃So　much　the　better　for　you！〃　answered　the　Coal　Man。　〃Then；　my　boy；　if　you　are　really　faint　with　hunger；　eat　two　slices　of　your　pride；　and　I　hope　they　don't　give　you　indigestion。〃

A　few　minutes　after；　a　Bricklayer　passed　by；　carrying　a　pail　full　of　plaster　on　his　shoulder。

〃Good　man；　will　you　be　kind　enough　to　give　a　penny　to　a　poor　boy　who　is　yawning　from　hunger？〃

〃Gladly；〃　answered　the　Bricklayer。　　〃Come　with　me　and　carry　some　plaster；　and　instead　of　one　penny；　I'll　give　you　five。〃

〃But　the　plaster　is　heavy；〃　answered　Pinocchio；　〃and　the　work　too　hard　for　me。〃

〃If　the　work　is　too　hard　for　you；　my　boy；　enjoy　your　yawns　and　may　they　bring　you　luck！〃

In　less　than　a　half　hour；　at　least　twenty　people　passed　and　Pinocchio　begged　of　each　one；　but　they　all　answered：

〃Aren't　you　ashamed？　　Instead　of　being　a　beggar　in　the　streets；　why　don't　you　look　for　work　and　earn　your　own　bread？〃

Finally　a　little　woman　went　by　carrying　two　water　jugs。

〃Good　woman；　will　you　allow　me　to　have　a　drink　from　one　of　your　jugs？〃　asked　Pinocchio；　who　was　burning　up　with　thirst。

〃With　pleasure；　my　boy！〃　she　answered；　setting　the　two　jugs　on　the　ground　before　him。

When　Pinocchio　had　had　his　fill；　he　grumbled；　as　he　wiped　his　mouth：

〃My　thirst　is　gone。　　If　I　could　only　as　easily　get　rid　of　my　hunger！〃

On　hearing　these　words；　the　good　little　woman　immediately　said：

〃If　you　help　me　to　carry　these　jugs　home；　I'll　give　you　a　slice　of　bread。〃

Pinocchio　looked　at　the　jug　and　said　neither　yes　nor　no。

〃And　with　the　bread；　I'll　give　you　a　nice　dish　of　cauliflower　with　white　sauce　on　it。〃

Pinocchio　gave　the　jug　another　look　and　said　neither　yes　nor　no。

〃And　after　the　cauliflower；　some　cake　and　jam。〃

At　this　last　bribery；　Pinocchio　could　no　longer　resist　and　said　firmly：

〃Very　well。　　I'll　take　the　jug　home　for　you。〃

The　jug　was　very　heavy；　and　the　Marionette；　not　being　strong　enough　to　carry　it　with　his　hands；　had　to　put　it　on　his　head。

When　they　arrived　home；　the　little　woman　made　Pinocchio　sit　down　at　a　small　table　and　placed　before　him　the　bread；　the　cauliflower；　and　the　cake。　　Pinocchio　did　not　eat；　he　devoured。　　His　stomach　seemed　a　bottomless　pit。

His　hunger　finally　appeased；　he　raised　his　head　to　thank　his　kind　benefactress。　　But　he　had　not　looked　at　her　long　when　he　gave　a　cry　of　surprise　and　sat　there　with　his　eyes　wide　open；　his　fork　in　the　air；　and　his　mouth　filled　with　bread　and　cauliflower。

〃Why　all　this　surprise？〃　asked　the　good　woman；　laughing。

〃Because〃　answered　Pinocchio；　stammering　and　stuttering；　〃becauseyou　look　likeyou　remind　me　ofyes；　yes；　the　same　voice；　the　same　eyes；　the　same　hairyes；　yes；　yes；　you　also　have　the　same　azure　hair　she　hadOh；　my　little　Fairy；　my　little　Fairy！　　Tell　me　that　it　is　you！　Don't　make　me　cry　any　longer！　　If　you　only　knew！　　I　have　cried　so　much；　I　have　suffered　so！〃

And　Pinocchio　threw　himself　on　the　floor　and　clasped　the　knees　of　the　mysterious　little　woman。



CHAPTER　25

Pinocchio　promises　the　Fairy　to　be　good　and　to　study；　as　he　is　growing　tired　of　being　a　Marionette；　and　wishes　to　become　a　real　boy



If　Pinocchio　cried　much　longer；　the　little　woman　thought　he　would　melt　away；　so　she　finally　admitted　that　she　was　the　little　Fairy　with　Azure　Hair。

〃You　rascal　of　a　Marionette！　　How　did　you　know　it　was　I？〃　she　asked；　laughing。

〃My　love　for　you　told　me　who　you　were。〃

〃Do　you　remember？　　You　left　me　when　I　was　a　little　girl　and　now　you　find　me　a　grown　woman。　　I　am　so　old；　I　could　almost　be　your　mother！〃

〃I　am　very　glad　of　that；　for　then　I　can　call　you　mother　instead　of　sister。　　For　a　long　time　I　have　wanted　a　mother；　just　like　other　boys。　　But　how　did　you　grow　so　quickly？〃

〃That's　a　secret！〃

〃Tell　it　to　me。　　I　also　want　to　grow　a　little。　　Look　at　me！　I　have　never　grown　higher　than　a　penny's　worth　of　cheese。〃

〃But　you　can't　grow；〃　answered　the　Fairy。

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　Marionettes　never　grow。　　They　are　born　Marionettes；　they　live　Marionettes；　and　they　die　Marionettes。〃

〃Oh；　I'm　tired　of　always　being　a　Marionette！〃　cried　Pinocchio　disgustedly。　〃It's　about　time　for　me　to　grow　into　a　man　as　everyone　else　does。〃

〃And　you　will　if　you　deserve　it〃

〃Really？　　What　can　I　do　to　deserve　it？〃

〃It's　a　very　simple　matter。　　Try　to　act　like　a　well…behaved　child。〃

〃Don't　you　think　I　do？〃

〃Far　from　it！　　Good　boys　are　obedient；　and　you；　on　the　contrary〃

〃And　I　never　obey。〃

〃Good　boys　love　study　and　work；　but　you〃

〃And　I；　on　the　contrary；　am　a　lazy　fellow　and　a　tramp　all　year　round。〃

〃Good　boys　always　tell　the　truth。〃

〃And　I　always　tell　lies。〃

〃Good　boys　go　gladly　to　school。〃

〃And　I　get　sick　if　I　go　to　school。　　From　now　on　I'll　be　different。〃

〃Do　you　promise？〃

〃I　promise。　　I　want　to　become　a　good　boy　and　be　a　comfo